Cable-terminal box for electricity-supply purposes.



No. 705,802. Patented July 29, I902.

- G. WILKINSON.

CABLE TERIMNAL BOX FOR ELECTRICITY SUPPLY PURPOSES.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1902.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 705,802. Patented July 29, I902.

a. WILKINSON.

CABLE TERMINAL 80X FOR ELECTRICITY SUPPLY PURPOSES.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1902.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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|||l IHIIIIIHIHINI wabcewea UNITEDQS ATE St:

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WILKINSON, OF HARROGATE, ENGLAND.

CABLE-TERMINAL BOX FOR ELECTRlCl'l'Y-SUPPLY PURPOSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,802, dated July 29,1902.

Application filed April 21, 1902. Serial No. 104,584. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnone-E WILKINSON, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Harrogate, in the county of York, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable-Terminal Boxes forElectricity Supply Purposes; and I do hereby declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates more particularly to cable terminal boxes commonlyknown as house cut-out boxes, in which the supply cable or cablesterminate and from which the consumers cables derive their supply ofelectrical energy,

The object of the said invention is to ob tain reliable surface contactwithin the box and efficient earthing thereof by compression andmaintain the same by the expansive force of a spring washer or Washers.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I now makereference to the draw- 2 5lings forming a part of this specification,which drawings illustrate methods of carrying out the invention asapplied, for example, to two designs of boxes, although I do not limitmyself to any special design of box.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a single-pole cut-out box usedin conjunction with a lead-covered concentric cable and two separaterubber or other insulated cables, showing the cables in position and thewasher compressed. Figa 2 is a sectional side elevation of a double-polecut-out box in which the cables are not shown and the washer, here shownin section, is not compressed. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on theline A B of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a modification,

Referring to Fig. 1, the concentric supply-- cable a enters the box Athrough the hole in the end thereof. The lead covering (if such beemployed) on the cable is dished out and turned over the inside edge ofthe said hole and pressed hard thereupon by the means hereinafterdescribed, thus making a waterproof seal and earthing the box to thelead of the cable, A metal washer b may then be passed over the cable,either in addition to or in substitution for the dished part of the cable-sheathing a, as before mentioned. An insulating-disk c is nextpassed over the cable and then a metal washer c, after which the outerconductors f of the concentric cable are opened out at right angles tothe cable and radially therefrom. A washer g is next passed over theinner cable and pressed against the conductors f, said washer g havingan extension or lug provided at the extremity thereof, with a screw forthe attachment of a link or fuse h. Another insulating-disk 2' and metalwasherj are passed over the inner cable, after which the innerconductors 7c are spaced out in the same manner as the outer ones. Ametal washer Z, having an extension and screw, is next pressed againstthe inner conductors, after which another insulating-disk m is inserted,then metal washer n, insulating-disk 0, metal washer p, insulating-disk(l, and, if desired, another metal washer 1-. The two insulatedservice-cables s and t are brought through the hole u in the box andsoldered into holes in the bottom of the washers n and 19, respectively.A round wooden peg 'v is passed through the last-named washers and disksuntil it reaches the end of the concentric cable at the point ofbranching of the conductors 73, the function of this peg 1) being tokeep the parts in position. A spring-washer w is next inserted throughthe hole at the right-hand end of the box and covered with a metal lid:0, (or the lid :1; may have the springwasher attached to its innerside,) when strong pressure is brought to bear on the metal lid 50,forcing it into position against the resistance of the spring-washer w,and the lid is then secured in position by any suitable means, such as anail 3 passed through holes in lugs on the end of the box, or by screws,The compression thus exerted jams all the washers and conductors intointimate and reliable surface contact, which is maintained by theexpansive force of the spring-washer,

The service-cables s and t may each enter the box by a separate hole,and instead of be ing soldered into holes at the bottom of the washers nand 19 they may each be bared of its insulation and spread out orcurvedaround between a pair of metal washers so as to IOO maintain the contactby compression in the case of these cables as Well as of thesupplycable.

Instead of the rail 1 other fastening devices may be employed, such asscrews or a horseshoe-shaped pin, the arms of which may be driventhrough two pairs of lugs, which may be provided on the end of the box.

The lugs on the Washers g, l, n, and 19 form the terminals of the cablesand are connected together as required by connecting links or fuses ofany suitable pattern, and the part of the box containing these may, ifdesired, be made a separate compartment from that containing the Washersand disks before referred to, the extensions on the said washers passingthrough a suitable slot or slots into the said compartments. The saidslot forms a channel through which the box is filled with insulatingcompound to improve the insulation and exclude moisture and the likefrom the various connections.

' Figs. 2 and 3 show a design adapted for a double-pole cut-out box witha separate compartment for each fuse. The concentric cable can be put infrom either end and the compression-washer at either end. The singleinsulated cables are brought into the box through the slots at b and aresoldered into holes in the extension-arms of the contactdisks. This boxmay be used with two pairs of single insulated cables, one pair enteringthrough the slot at each end, or if only one pair of single insulatedcables are used they enter the box at one end, the slot at the otherend, which is not required, being covered by a metal plate.

Instead of the spring-washer being last inserted, as before described,it may be inserted first within the lid a: or against the end of the boxand be kept in a state of compression by any suitable appliance whilethe remaining parts are placed in position, and on being released willthen by its elasticity exert the required pressure through all the disksand Washers.

The metal box may be lined with a layer or layers of corrugated orindurated paper or other insulating material, as shown in Fig. 3 atRound insulating-disks are described and shown; but they may of coursebe made oblong, gimped edged, or of any other suitable shape.

It will be obvious that by varying the length of the box and the numberof insulating-disks and terminal disks the arrangement can be readilyadapted for separately-insulated cables, concentric cables, or tripleconcentric cables. I do not confine myself to the use of onespring-Washer, as a number of springs may be employed to exert thenecessary pressure, nor need the insulating and terminal disks all beplaced in one line, as more than one group of these may be employed,each group tosses being furnished with its own compressionspring.

Instead of exerting the force of the springs in compression upon thedisks by placing the outer casing in tension, as before described, I maymake the whole or part of one end of the box loose and running uponbolts traversing the box longitudinally, so that by placing aspring-washer upon each of these bolts and following it with a nut onthe exposed end of the bolt the compression may be obtained bytightening up the nuts, as shown in Fig. 4-.

The box may be screwed or otherwise fixed in the required position,screw-holes d, Fig. 2, being, it necessary, countersunk in a thickenedportion d of the wall of the box or in lugs projecting from the box. Itmay also be provided with a glazed opening for inspection and sealed inany suitable manner to guard against any tampering 011 the part ofunauthorized persons. Aslot d is provided at the back of the box to actas an air-vent when a fuse blows off and heats the air within the box.This slot does not afford access to the terminals, as the slot faces thewall against which the box is fixed.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with a box, and a slipply-cable which enters the box and has its inner and outer conductorsspread out inside the box in different planes; of service-cables whichalso enter the box, separate contactwashers which bear against the saidconductors and service-cables respectively, fuses which connect thecontact-washers of the in ner and outer conductors with theservicecables to which they pertain, and a spring which operateslongitudinally of the supplycable and which holds its inner and outerconductors in contact with their respective contact-washers,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a box, and a supply-cable which enters the boxand has its lead covering and its inner and outer conductors spread outinside the box in different planes and insulated from each other 3 ofservice-cables which also enter the box, separate contact washers whichbear against the said conductors and service-cables respectively, fuseswhich connect the contact-washers of the inner and outer conductors withthe service-cables to which they pertain, and a spring which operateslongitudinally of the supply cable and which holds its inner and outerconductors in contact with their respective con= tact-washers and itslead covering in contact with the said box, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, withabox, of asupplycable which enters the box andhas its conductors spread out inside it, a single servicecable whichalso enters the box, separate contact-washers which bear against thesaid conductors and the service-cable respectively, a fuse connectingthe said washers, a spring IIO which operates longitudinally of the saidsupthey enter the said box, substantially as set ply-cable and whichholds its said conductors forth. 10 in contact with theircontact-washer, and a In testimony whereof I affix my signature secondsupply-cable and a second single servin presence of two witnesses.

5 ice-cable operatively connected together so as GEORGE VILKINSON.

to form a complete circuit with the first said Witnesses: supply andservice cables, said supply-cables ERNEST PRIESTLEY NEWTON,

beingarranged concentric of each other where l JOSEPH BUTLER MIDDLETON.

